THEY TAKE ON BRENHAM THIS SATURDAY. HE OWNS MORE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN HOUSTON. BUT THIS LANDLORD APPARENTLY WASN'T ALL THAT EASY TO FINDS. "LOCAL 2" INVESTIGATES WANTED TO ASK HIM ABOUT HUNDREDS OF CODE VIOLATIONS, THE DEATH THREAT THAT HE MADE AGAINST A COUNTY EMPLOYEE, AND THE ASSAULT THAT HAPPENED INSIDE ONE OF HIS ABANDONED PROPERTIES. INVESTIGATOR JOEL EISENBAUM DID TRACK HIM DOWN AND REVEALED WHAT THE CITY IS DOING TO STOP HIM. Reporter: HE IS SO ELUSIVE, A MAN HIRED TO SERVE HIM WITH A LAWSUIT GAVE UP. SIR? I DON'T WANT TO CHASE YOU ALL OVER TOWN. CAN WE JUST TALK FOR A SECOND? COME TO THINK OF IT, HE DIDN'T SEEM THAT EAGER TO CHAT WITH US EITHER. RICHARD LEAFIERMAN'S HOMES, RAN DOWN, OFTEN UNLIVABLE AND UNSAFE, SPEAK VOLUMES. THIS FELLOW OWNS AN INCREDIBLE NUMBER OF PROPERTIES. HE IS THE LARGEST PROPERTY OWNER OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTS. Reporter: IN HARRIS COUNTY ALONE, RICHARD FURMAN OWNS 361 PROPERTIES, ACCORDING TO THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT. AND HE'S NOT A FAN OF THAT AGENCY, WE'VE LEARNED. WE DO NOT -- NO. I'M ABOUT READY TO FIND A GUN AND BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF. Reporter: HA DEATH THREAT DURING A TAX HEARING EARNED HIM THIS MUG SHOT AND A CRIMINAL CONVICTION FOR MAKING A TERRORISTIC THREAT. SIT ATTORNEY HAS LABELED HIM A SLUM LORD AND WE FOUND 520 UNRESOLVED CODE VIOLATIONS ON HIS PROPERTIES. ONE BIG PROBLEM. PEOPLE CAN COME INTO THE PROPERTIES AND THAT'S A DANGEROUS CONDITION, OBVIOUSLY. Reporter: HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER SWARMED THIS ABANDONED HOME. Reporter: LAST MONTHS, POLICE SAY A TEENAGE GIRL WAS ASSAULTED IN ONE OF FURMAN'S ABANDONED HOMES ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE. THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE HERE HAS SEVERAL INCIDENTS. IT NEEDS TO BE TORN DOWN. Reporter: LAST YEAR THE CITY SUED RICHARD FURMAN TO FIX OR DEMOLISH 14 HOMES AND A JUDGE ORDER HIM TO DO SO. IT'S HUNDREDS OF OPEN VIOLATIONS, YOU'RE BEING SUED BY THE CITY. I'M TRYING TO GET TO YOU SIT DOWN FOR A MINUTE. YOU WORKED IT OUT TODAY? YES. Reporter: IN FACT, WE CHECKED WITH THE CITY. FURMAN HAS ONLY TAKEN CARE OF FOUR OF THOSE 14 PROPERTIES. HE DID JUST PROMISE AGAIN ON PAPER HE'LL GET TO THE OTHERS BY MID JANUARY. IF HE DOESN'T, HE COULD LOSE THEM. THAT WOULD STILL LEAVE HIM AS THE BIGGEST LANDLORD OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN HOUSTON. SEVERAL HOA'S AND TENANTS HAVE ALSO SUED HIM. ONE RENTER WHO PAID UP FRONT, CLAIMED NOT ONLY DID THE HOUSE NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY, IT DIDN'T HAVE WIRING.

HOUSTON -

The single largest owner of single family homes in Houston is responsible for problems in neighborhoods across the city and is causing a drain on public resources and taxpayer dollars, according to Houston’s city attorney.

Richard Lee Pfirman, 57, owns 361 properties in Harris County, according to the Harris County Appraisal District.

“The great percentage of people in this city are law abiding citizens but we have a few like Mr. Pfirman who are not,” said Houston City Attorney David Feldman.

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Pfirman has been sued separately by Homeowners’ Associations, tenants and the City of Houston to bring some of his properties up to code.

In one such civil lawsuit, a tenant claimed she rented a home, paying first and last month’s rent, only to find the house had no electrical wiring.

Last December, a judge ordered Pfirman to fix or raze 14 properties deemed well below health and safety standards, following a civil lawsuit filed by the City.

Pfirman contended in a short on-camera interview he is working on complying with the judge’s order, he has demolished three houses, and sold another, leaving ten.

The City then reached another agreement with Pfirman that imposed stiffer penalties if the remaining properties are not fixed and demolished by early next year.

Pfirman’s residences, some of which are rented, some of which are vacant, span the city with heavier concentrations on Houston’s north side.

Feldman contends Pfirman has cost the City dearly in manpower and time with a team of inspectors monitoring code violations.Local 2 Investigates found 520 active violations associated with Pfirman’s properties.

The problems range from “weeds and rubbish” to “unsecured buildings” to “buckling structures, damaged by explosion or fire” according to the list Local 2 examined.

Copyright 2013 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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